In the 1960s a Missouri man received a patent that would forever change the sport of archery and bowhunting. That was when Holless Wilbur Allen invented the first compound bow.
Using pulleys and cables, the compound bow was easier to hold at full draw and shot arrows at a higher speed. By the mid-1970s the first compound bows were sold to the public.
Fifty years later, bow manufacturers continue to improve Allenâs technology, and in the process generate debate among archers and the agencies that oversee bowhunting.
Earlier this month the Fish and Wildlife Commission wrestled with how much innovation is too much, and ended up drawing a conservative line. At issue was whether to modify Montanaâs hunting regulations related to a compound bowâs let-off.